Details on new charges against former sheriff emerge | News

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MACHIAS, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- New details are emerging Tuesday about new charges filed against former Washington County Sheriff, Donnie Smith.

Two of the charges accuse Smith of theft. The third charge claims he was aware he violated his duty by misusing property entrusted to him that involved a "substantial risk of loss."

Officials allege the former sheriff mishandled funds of more than $10,000 between 2007 and 2012. Prosecutors said they discovered the theft after an investigation by the state Attorney General's office.

"The Attorney General's office detectives took the information and basically performed their investigation and they came to the conclusion that former Sheriff Smith was culpable in these thefts," said Washington County District Attorney Matt Foster.

News about the charges is slowly sinking in with Smith's neighbors and friends in Lubec.

One of his neighbors told NEWS CENTER he thinks the Sheriff's office was more corrupt before Smith got there and the investigation is retaliation from officials who did not like Smith's outspoken nature.

"I kind of thought it was a little vendetta against him or whatever because he made a few enemies [at the Sheriff's Office]," said Julian Fickett.

NEWS CENTER reached out to both Donnie Smith and his attorney about the charges. Both of them declined to comment at this time.